Cleansing bar containing discrete elements

ABSTRACT

The present invention relates to cleansing bars including: a) a cleansing composition; and b) a plurality of discrete elements having a length to diameter ratio of from about 50 to 1 to about 100,000 to 1. The cleansing bars according to the invention have good grippability, exfoliating and cleansing properties and are capable of providing a significant amount of lather in a relatively short period of time. The invention also relates to methods of making and using the cleansing bar described above.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention

[0002] This invention relates to cleansing bars containing discreteelements. The cleansing bars have excellent lathering and cleansingproperties, are useful to exfoliate skin, and have improved grippabilityversus conventional cleansing bars.

[0003] 2. Description Of The Prior Art

[0004] Conventional cleansing bars have several problems associated withthem. One problem associated with cleansing bars is that they are veryslippery when wet. The bars tend to slip out of the hand of the consumerduring use in the shower or bath. The consumer then has to bend over orkneel down to pick up the cleansing bar from the floor of the shower.

[0005] Another problem associated with cleansing bars is that they tendnot to form a lot of lather. The lather that is generated typically isslow to develop and not that abundant. Since many consumers relatelather to effectiveness of cleansing, the use of conventional cleansingbars can be viewed as providing less than optimum body cleansing.

[0006] Skin cleansing compositions having abrasive particlesincorporated as scrubbing aids are known in the art. For example, LOOFAHExfoliating Soap is a commercially available soap bar available throughEarth Therapeutics. The soap bar has small particles of a chopped uploofah or puff dispersed throughout.

[0007] U.S. Pat. No. 4,155,870 discloses skin cleansing compositionscomprising water-insoluble glass bubbles. Further, U.S. Pat. No.5,910,476 discloses abrasive containing soap bars. Suitable abrasivesinclude pumice, talc, and/or sand.

[0008] These abrasive containing cleansing compositions generally sufferfrom the disadvantage of having an unpleasant abrasive and/or sandy feeland may cause irritation with prolonged scrubbing.

[0009] Personal cleansing compositions containing water-insolublemicronized particles are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,753,245. Themicronized particles have a defined particle size and are not tactilelyperceived by the user.

[0010] U.S. Pat. No. 5,221,506 discloses a sponge core in a soap bar,i.e., a “structured soap bar.” The preferred structural support is anatural synthetic open-celled sponge material.

[0011] Despite the disclosure of the prior art, there is a continuingneed for a cleansing bar that has good grippability, is capable ofexfoliating the skin without abrasive feel and provides a significantamount of lather in a relatively short period of time. The presentinvention answers this need.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0012] It has been discovered that cleansing bar compositions havinggood grippability and exfoliating properties which are capable ofproviding a significant amount of lather in a relatively short period oftime can be obtained by incorporating a plurality of discrete elementshaving a length to diameter ratio of from about 50 to 1 to about 100,000to 1. Accordingly, the present invention relates to a cleansing barcomprising: a) a cleansing composition; and b) a plurality of discreteelements having a length to diameter ratio of from about 50 to 1 toabout 100,000 to 1.

[0013] The invention also relates to a method for cleaning a surfacecomprising wetting the above described cleansing bar with water;applying agitation to the wet cleansing bar, wherein the amount of waterand agitation are sufficient to create a lather on the cleansing bar,and applying said lathering cleansing bar to the surface to be cleaned.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURE

[0014] The figure is a photographic representation of the superstructureresulting the use of the cleansing bar according to Example 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0015] The present invention relates to a cleansing bar comprising: acleansing composition and a plurality of discrete elements. The discreteelements have a length to diameter ratio of from about 50 to 1 to about100,000 to 1. The cleansing bar according to the present invention maybe used to treat a variety of surfaces, such as human skin or hair,animal skin or hair, clothing and fabrics, and hard surfaces, such as,for example, cars, appliances, walls, countertops, etc.

[0016] The discrete elements may be made from a wide range of materials,both natural and synthetic, so long they have a length to diameter ratioof from about 50 to 1 to about 100,000 to 1. In a preferred embodiment,the discrete elements have a length to diameter ratio of from about 100to 1 to about 25,000 to 1, more preferably from about 500 to 1 to about5,000 to 1. As used herein the term “diameter” means the diameter of acircular cross section of the discrete element, or in cases where thediscrete element does not have a circular cross section, such as withsome natural fibers or synthetic multilobal fibers, the term “diameter”means the diameter of a circle equal in area to the actual measuredcross sectional area of the discrete element.

[0017] The length of the discrete element varies depending on thebenefit desired. Generally, the length varies from about 0.125 to about5.0 inches, more preferably from about 0.5 to about 3 inches and mostpreferred from about 1 to about 1.5 inches.

[0018] Suitable discrete elements include, but are not limited to,fibers, including but not limited to monofilament and multifilamentfibers, filaments, particles, and mixtures thereof. Preferred are fibersof polyester; polyolefins, such as polyethylene and polypropylene;polyamide; rayon; cotton; hemp; wool; and combinations thereof. Examplesof suitable polyamide fibers include Nylons, such as, NYLON 6, NYLON 66,and C-113 NYLON available from Dupont. Examples of polyester fibersinclude polyester staple fibers commercially available from KoSa,Wellman Inc., and Syntec Industries Inc.

[0019] The discrete elements useful in the present invention may bemonocomponent and/or multicomponent elements of various configurations,including multi-layered structures, core-sheath structures, where thecore comprises one material and the sheath comprises a differentmaterial, or multi-lobal structures. As is known in the art, thediscrete elements may be splittable or fracturable. In anotherembodiment, the discrete elements may be microfibers as taught in U.S.Pat. Nos. 5,759,926 and 5,047,189, the disclosures of which are herebyincorporated by reference.

[0020] In one embodiment, the cleansing composition may be colored andthe discrete elements may also colored. The discrete elements may be acolor that is the same or different from the color of the cleansingcomposition. Alternatively, the discrete elements may be a mixture ofdiscrete elements having different colors. Colored fibers are known inthe art and may be obtained from a variety of suppliers including, forexample, Martin Color-Fi, Inc. and KoSa.

[0021] In yet another embodiment, the discrete elements may bewater-soluble. As used herein, “water-soluble” means that the discreteelements disperse, disintegrate, or dissolve in water. Suitablematerials for water soluble discrete elements include, but are notlimited to, polyethylene oxide (“PEO”), blends of PEO and polypropyleneas taught in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 2002/022691 A1, herebyincorporated by reference. Other examples include polylactic acid fiberssold under the tradename LACTRON® by Kanebo, polysaccharides sold underthe tradename LYSORB® available from Lysac Technologies Inc., andpolyvinyl alcohol such as those sold under the tradename KURALON K-IIavailable from Kuraray Co., Ltd.

[0022] In another embodiment, the discrete elements may include superabsorbent polymer (SAP) fibers as described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,374,174;5,817,713; 6,376,072, the disclosures of which are hereby incorporatedby reference.

[0023] When the discrete element is a fiber, the denier may varydepending on the benefit desired. Typically, the denier ranges fromabout 0.025 to 25, more preferably from about 1.5 to about 15, and mostpreferred from about 3 to about 9.

[0024] The amount of the discrete elements in the cleansing bar willalso vary based upon the desired benefit. Typically, the amount ofdiscrete elements will range from about 0.01 percent to about 20 percentby weight, more preferably from about 0.1 to 10%, most preferably fromabout 0.5 to about 5%, based on the total weight of the cleansing bar.

[0025] One concern over the use of discrete elements in a cleansing baris that the use of the cleansing bar frees some of the discreteelements, which may then flow to a drain in the shower, sink, or bath.The loose discrete elements may then clog the drain or be aestheticallyunpleasant to the user.

[0026] Accordingly, in one embodiment of the present invention, thediscrete elements have a length to diameter ratio sufficient for theelements to intertwine and/or entangle during use, thereby avoidingpotential drain clogging or the unpleasant appearance of loose fibers,for example, on the surface being cleansed. In this embodiment, as thecleansing bar is used, the discrete elements become intertwined orentangled and form a superstructure. The length to diameter ratio of thediscrete elements in this embodiment preferably ranges from about 100 to1 to about 100,000 to 1, more preferably from about 100 to 1 to about25,000 to 1, and most preferably from about 500 to 1 to about 5,000to 1. The length of the discrete elements in this embodiment typicallyranges from about 0.5 inches to about 3 inches, preferably from about0.75 inches to about 2 inches.

[0027] The cleansing bars of the present invention include conventionalcleansing compositions. Suitable cleansing compositions are solid orsemi-solid at room temperature. Examples of useful cleansingcompositions include, but are not limited to, fatty acid soaps,including glycerin soaps, synthetic detergents and mixtures thereof.Cleansing compositions are extensively taught in Soap Technology Forthe1990's, the entirety of which is incorporated by reference.

[0028] Examples of suitable fatty acid soaps include soaps derived fromhydrocarbon chain lengths of from approximately 10 to 22 (includingcarboxyl carbon) and may be saturated or unsaturated. The soap may be,for example, the sodium salt, potassium salt, ammonium salt,triethanolammonium salt and mixtures thereof. Examples of glycerin soapsuseful in the present invention include but are not limited to thosedisclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,405,492 and 4,879,063, the disclosures ofwhich are hereby incorporated by reference.

[0029] Suitable synthetic detergents include those known in the art forthe desired purpose. Examples of detergents useful for personalcleansing include the isethionates, sarcosinates, and glyceryl ethersulfonates which may be pure chain length variants or those derived fromcommercial oils such as coconut oil.

[0030] Numerous examples of other detergents in general are included inthe list appropriate for this invention. These include limited amountsof anionic acyl sarcosinates, methyl acyl taurates, N-acyl glutamates,alkyl sulfosuccinates, alkyl phosphate esters, ethoxylated alkylphosphate esters, trideceth sulfates, protein condensates, mixtures ofethoxylated alkyl sulfates and alkyl amine oxides, betaines, sultainesand mixtures thereof. Included are the alkyl ether sulfates with 1 to 12ethoxy groups, especially ammonium and sodium lauryl ether sulfates.Alkyl chains for these other detergents are C₈-C₂₂, preferably C₁₀-C₁₈.Alkyl glucosides and methyl glucoside esters are preferred mildnonionics, which may be mixed with other mild anionic or amphotericsurfactants in the compositions of this invention.

[0031] Optional ingredients conventionally used in cleansingcompositions may be incorporated into the cleansing composition of thisinvention. These ingredients include, but are not limited to,perfumes/fragrances, preservatives, colorants, dyes, anti-caking agents,and personal care ingredients, including, but are not limited to, skinand hair care ingredients.

[0032] Examples of suitable personal care ingredients useful in thepresent invention include but are not limited to safe and effectiveamounts of: humectants, sunscreen actives, skin soothers,anti-irritants, anti-inflammatories, emollients, conditioning agents,moisturizers, deodorants, anti-perspirants, artificial tanning agents,antimicrobial agents, anti-acne agents, anti-wrinkle agents, anti-skinatrophy agents, skin firming agents, anti-itch agents, anti-fungalagents, topical anesthetics, skin tone evening agents, active naturalingredients, agents for minimizing the appearance or retarding regrowthof unwanted hair, skin texture modifiers, and additional cleansingagents.

[0033] Emollients which can be included in the compositions of theinvention function by their ability to remain on the skin surface or inthe stratum comeum to act as lubricants, to reduce flaking, and toimprove the skin appearance. Typical emollients include fatty esters,fatty alcohols, mineral oil, polyether siloxane copolymers and the like.Examples of suitable emollients include, but are not limited to,polypropylene glycol (“PPG”)-15 stearyl ether, PPG-10 cetyl ether,steareth-10, oleth-8, PPG-4 lauryl ether, vitamin E acetate, PEG-7glyceryl cocoate, lanolin, and combinations thereof. Vitamin E acetate,PEG-7 glyceryl cocoate and combinations thereof are preferred

[0034] Examples of suitable humectants include polyhydric alcohols.Suitable polyhydric alcohols include, but are not limited to, glycerol(also known as glycerin), polyalkylene glycols, alkylene polyols andtheir derivatives, including propylene glycol, dipropylene glycol,polypropylene glycol, polyethylene glycol and derivatives thereof,sorbitol, hydroxypropyl sorbitol, hexylene glycol, 1,3-dibutyleneglycol, 1,2,6,-hexanetriol, ethoxylated glycerol, propoxylated glyceroland mixtures thereof.

[0035] Suitable skin soothers include, but are not limited to,panthenol, bisabolol, allantoin, aloe, and combinations thereof.

[0036] Suitable conditioning agents include, but are not limited to,dimethicone propyl PG-betaine, dimethicone copolyols, polyquaternium-10,guar, guar derivatives, and combinations thereof. Suitable anti-acneactive ingredients include, but are not limited to, salicylic acid,sulfur, lactic acid, glycolic acid, pyruvic acid, urea, resorcinol,N-acetylcysteine, retinoic acid, benzoyl peroxide, octopirox, triclosan,azelaic acid, phenoxyethanol, phenoxypropanol, flavinoids, derivativesthereof, and combinations thereof. Salicylic acid and benzoyl peroxideare preferred.

[0037] The optional ingredients may be incorporated directly into thecleansing composition by means known in the art. Alternatively, theoptional ingredients may be incorporated into or coated onto thediscrete elements by means known in the art provided that the optionalingredient will sufficiently adhere to the discrete element such that itwould remain in or on the discrete element until incorporated into thecleansing bar. As used herein “coated” means surface coating and/or atleast partially impregnating the discrete element. The optionalingredients may be incorporated into or coated onto the discreteelements by means known in the art, for example, by treatment with anappropriate solution, suspension or slurry of the ingredient in anappropriate liquid, followed by drying by conventional means. See, forexample, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,335,185; 6,376,072; and 6,420,047, thedisclosures of which are hereby incorporated by reference.

[0038] In one embodiment of the present invention, hollow fibers astaught in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,558,420 and 5,937,874, the entirety of bothare hereby incorporated by reference, are utilized to contain theoptional ingredients. In this embodiment, the optional ingredients maybe drawn into the fiber by capillary action or through the use ofvacuum. The fibers may have walls that fracture upon use of thecleansing bar, thereby releasing the optional ingredient(s).

[0039] The cleansing bar of the present invention may be formed into abar by any of the conventional methods known in the art, including, butnot limited to, framing and the Mazzoni process. For example, thecleansing bars may be prepared by an extrusion process where chips ofthe cleansing composition and discrete elements are introduced into amixer and mechanical agitation is applied to evenly distribute thediscrete elements among the cleansing composition chips. Thechip-discrete element mixture is then transferred into a plodder forextrusion into a long cleansing bar. The long bar can then be cut intothe desirable sizes/shapes.

[0040] In another embodiment, the cleansing bars may be prepared byheating the cleansing composition to a temperature above its meltingpoint (typically about 70° C. to about 130° C.). The discrete elementsare then added to the melted composition and mixed. The mixture is thentypically cooled. Optional ingredients like perfume, skin careingredients, and colorants are typically added when the temperaturereaches below about 90° C. The molten stock is then poured into suitablemolds of different forms made of plastic or rubber and allowed to cooland harden at ambient conditions.

[0041] If desirable, the cleansing bar compositions may be aerated suchthat the bar will float in water.

[0042] As discussed above, it has been discovered that cleansing barcompositions having good grippability and exfoliating properties whichare capable of providing a significant amount of lather in a relativelyshort period of time can be obtained by incorporating a plurality ofdiscrete elements having a length to diameter ratio of from about 50 to1 to about 100,000 to 1. Additionally, it has been discovered that asubstantially smaller amount of the cleansing bar according to theinvention is needed to achieve an equivalent level of cleansing whencompared to conventional cleansing bars. Accordingly, because a smalleramount of cleansing composition comes into contact with the surfacebeing cleaned, less unnecessary surface damage or irritation isexpected.

EXAMPLES

[0043] The following examples will more fully illustrate the embodimentsof this invention. All parts, percentages and proportions referred toherein are by weight unless otherwise indicated. The examples areprovided for illustrative purposes and should not be construed aslimiting the scope of the invention.

Example 1

[0044] Cleansing Bar Containing Polyester Fiber

[0045] A cleansing bar was prepared using a clear glycerin soap base(available as “Moisturizing Clear Glycerin Soap” by Life of the Party™,available in the form of a 2-lb soap brick). Small cubes were cut fromthe soap brick and placed into a graduated glass container. The soapcubes were then melted using a microwave oven. 0.6 grams of solutiondyed purple polyester fibers available from Martin Color-Fi, Inc. (6denier, 2″ long, length to diameter ratio=2042) were then placed into asoap mold before 80 grams of the molten soap was poured in. After themixture cooled down, the cleansing bar was removed from the mold.

[0046] The cleansing bar was used as a conventional soap bar until thecleansing composition was used up. As the cleansing bar was used, thediscrete elements (polyester fibers) began to entangle and form asuperstructure. The figure is a photographic representation of thesuperstructure remaining after the cleansing composition was used up.

Example 2

[0047] Cleansing Bar Containing Wool Fibers

[0048] A cleansing bar was prepared using a clear glycerin soap base(available as “Moisturizing Clear Glycerin Soap” by Life of the Party™,available in the form of a 2-lb soap brick). Small cubes were cut fromthe soap brick and placed into a graduated glass container. The soapcubes were then melted using a microwave oven. Merino wool fibersavailable from Gavanbay Fibers (4.12 denier) were first cut to a lengthof 1.5″ (giving a length to diameter ratio=1814); then, 0.6 grams ofsuch fibers were placed into a soap mold before 80 grams of the moltensoap was poured in. After the mixture cooled down, the cleansing bar wasremoved from the mold.

Example 3

[0049] Cleansing Bar Containing Nylon Fibers

[0050] A. General Procedure

[0051] Cleansing bars were prepared using a white glycerin soap base(available as “Moisturizing White Glycerin Soap” by Life of the Party™,available in the form of a 2-lb soap brick). To prepare a cleansing bar,small cubes were cut from the soap brick and placed into a graduatedglass container. The soap cubes were then melted using a microwave oven.The molten soap could then be poured into different shapes and sizes ofcleansing bar molds, cooled, then removed from the molds. Cleansing barscontaining nylon fibers were prepared in a similar fashion except that aspecific amount of nylon fibers were placed into soap molds before themolten soap was poured in. The nylon fibers were stirred in the moltensoap, then the mixtures were cooled and the cleansing bars were removedfrom the molds.

[0052] Cleansing bars were prepared in pairs (one with nylon fibers andone without). The two bars in each pair were matched in shape and sizeand were of equivalent weight. Pairs of varying shapes and sizes(approximately 60 grams) were prepared. For each cleansing barcontaining nylon fibers, 0.7 grams of DuPont C-113 Nylon fibers (6denier, 1.5″ long) was added.

[0053] B. Richer Lather Production

[0054] Two cleansing bars of equivalent weight (approximately 60 grams)were prepared as described above. The bars were the same except 0.7grams of DuPont C-113 Nylon fibers (6.0 denier, 1.5″ long, length todiameter ratio=1,463) was added to one of the bars while the other barcontained no discrete elements.

[0055] Ten panelists were recruited for this study. First, one of thetwo cleansing bars was wetted under water and rubbed 10 times on thehand of each panelist in a circular motion. The panelists were thenasked to note the amount of lather generated by this bar. Afterwards,the lather was scraped off from the hands with a tongue depressor andplaced on a tared weighing dish. The weight of the lather was measuredand recorded. The same procedure was repeated using the other cleansingbar. The panelist was asked to pick which of the cleansing bars produceda richer lather. The weight of the lather generated by the two cleansingbars was also compared.

[0056] Results

[0057] As seen in Table 1 below, for nine out of ten panelists, theweight measurements indicated that the cleansing bar containing discreteelements generated more lather than the plain cleansing bar. On average,the cleansing bar of the invention produced 0.2248 grams of latherversus 0.1430 grams by the conventional bar. This difference isstatistically significant based on a paired t-test (p<0.002). Ninepanelists also reported that the cleansing bar of the invention produceda richer lather than the conventional bar. TABLE 1 Lather Production(grams) User Opinion Panelist Discrete Which gives richer NumberElements Plain Soap foam/lather? 1 0.2381 0.1556 Discrete Elements 20.2212 0.1113 Discrete Elements 3 0.1625 0.0453 Discrete Elements 40.1827 0.1281 Discrete Elements 5 0.0995 0.1734 Discrete Elements 60.3344 0.2390 Discrete Elements 7 0.2243 0.1136 Discrete Elements 80.2703 0.1963 Plain Soap 9 0.2468 0.1124 Discrete Elements 10  0.26830.1548 Discrete Elements Average 0.2248 0.1430

[0058] Conclusion

[0059] The data from this study indicated that a cleansing bar having aplurality of discrete elements was able to generate a richer lather thana plain cleansing bar.

[0060] Quick Lather Production

[0061] Two cleansing bars of equivalent weight (approximately 60 grams)were prepared using two identical soap molds as described above in A.The cleansing bars were the same except 0.7 grams of DuPont C-113 Nylonfibers (6.0 denier, 1.5″ long, length to diameter ratio=1,463) was addedto one of the bars while the other bar contained no discrete elements.

[0062] Seven panelists were recruited for this study. First, panelistswere asked to wash their hands with one of the two cleansing bars(rubbed the bar in circular motions on the hands) for a fixed timeperiod of 5 seconds. Afterwards, the lather was scraped off from thehands with a tongue depressor and placed on a tared weighing dish. Theweight of the lather was measured and recorded. The same procedure wasrepeated using the other cleansing bar. The weight of the lathergenerated by the two cleansing bars was compared.

[0063] Results

[0064] As seen in Table 3 below, for six out of seven panelists, theweight measurements indicated that the cleansing bar of the inventiongenerated lather faster than the plain cleansing bar. On average, thecleansing bar having a plurality of discrete elements produced 0.2290grams of lather versus 0.1357 grams by the plain cleansing bar after 5seconds of rubbing. This difference is statistically significant basedon a paired t-test (p<0.025). TABLE 3 Lather Panelist Production (grams)Number Invention Plain 1 0.4430 0.2410 2 0.1581 0.1039 3 0.1207 0.1512 40.1628 0.0939 5 0.2256 0.1622 6 0.2574 0.0646 7 0.2356 0.1328 Average0.2290 0.1357

[0065] Conclusion

[0066] The data from this study indicated that a cleansing bar having aplurality of discrete elements was able to generate lather faster than aplain cleansing bar.

[0067] D. Superior Cleansing/Exfoliation

[0068] Two cleansing bars of equivalent weight (approximately 60 grams)were prepared using two identical soap molds as described above in A.The cleansing bars were the same except 0.7 grams of DuPont C-113 Nylonfibers (6.0 denier, 1.5″ long, length to diameter ratio=1,463) wereadded to one of the bars while the other bar contained no discreteelements. A cube of 0.75″×0.75″×0.75″ was cut out from each of thesecleansing bars for the following testing.

[0069] Ten squares of 2″×2″ were cut out from a transparency film. Inthe center of each square, a test site of 0.5″×0.5″ was marked using apermanent marker. The weight of all 10 transparency squares was measuredand recorded. Approximately 0.01 grams of mascara was applied to andspread across evenly on each test site. The mascara was allowed toair-dry. Upon drying, five of the squares were cleansed using thecleansing cube of the invention (the cube was stroked in aback-and-forth motion across the test site 10 times). The other fivesquares were cleansed using the plain cleansing cube. After cleansing,all 10 squares were rinsed under tap water to wash off the residualcleanser. After gentle blot-drying, each square (along with theleft-behind mascara) was re-weighed. The amount of mascara removed wasthen calculated for the two groups (the group cleansed with thecleansing bar of the invention and the group cleansed with the plaincleansing bar).

[0070] Results

[0071] As seen in Tables 5 and 6 below, the cleansing bar having aplurality of discrete elements provided a more superior cleansing andexfoliation than the plain cleansing bar. On average, 0.0068 grams ofmascara were removed by the cleansing bar of the invention, while only0.0020 grams were removed by the plain cleansing bar. A t-test revealedthat the difference in cleansing and exfoliating abilities between thetwo bars was statistically significant (p<0.0001). TABLE 5 Data forCleansing Bar Having Discrete Elements Weight of Transparency + Mascara(grams) Weight of Test Before After Mascara Site Mascara Mascara AfterSoap Amount Amount Number Application Application Cleansing AppliedRemoved L1 0.3306 0.3405 0.3321 0.0099 0.0084 L3 0.3337 0.3437 0.33740.0100 0.0063 L5 0.3229 0.3328 0.3264 0.0099 0.0064 L7 0.3561 0.36610.3597 0.0100 0.0064 L9 0.3359 0.3458 0.3392 0.0099 0.0066 Average0.0099 0.0068

[0072] TABLE 6 Data for Conventional Cleansing Bar Weight ofTransparency + Mascara (grams) Weight of Test Before After Mascara SiteMascara Mascara After Soap Amount Amount Number Application ApplicationCleansing Applied Removed L2 0.3456 0.3557 0.3534 0.0101 0.0023 L40.3556 0.3658 0.3638 0.0102 0.0020 L6 0.3439 0.3537 0.3518 0.0098 0.0019L8 0.3570 0.3669 0.3656 0.0099 0.0013 L10 0.3586 0.3684 0.3660 0.00980.0024 Average 0.0100 0.0020

[0073] Conclusion

[0074] The data from this study indicated that a cleansing bar accordingto the invention provided cleansing and exfoliation that were superiorto a conventional cleansing bar.

[0075] E. Less Irritation

[0076] Two cleansing bars of equivalent weight (approximately 60 grams)were prepared using two identical soap molds. The bars were the sameexcept 0.7 grams of DuPont C-113 Nylon fibers (6.0 denier, 1.5″ long,length to diameter ratio=1,463) was added to one of the bars while theother bar contained no discrete elements. A cube of 0.75″×0.75″×0.75″was cut out from each of these cleansing bars for the following testing.

[0077] Conventional soaps contain surfactants that are known to damagethe skin and induce signs of irritation like erythema and dryness.Therefore, the smaller the amount of soap used, the less the amount ofirritation should be.

[0078] Ten squares of 2″×2″ were cut out from a transparency film. Inthe center of each square, a test site of 0.5″×0.5″ was marked using apermanent marker. The weight of all 10 transparency squares was measuredand recorded. Then, 0.004 grams of light brown foundation makeup wasapplied to and spread across evenly on each test site. The foundationwas allowed to air-dry. Upon drying, five of the squares were cleansedusing the cleansing cube having discrete elements—the cube was strokedacross the test site (each stroke dispenses about 0.002 grams of soap onaverage). The number of strokes needed to completely clean off thefoundation was recorded for each of 5 squares. The same procedure wasfollowed for the other 5 squares except the plain cleansing bar was usedinstead.

[0079] Results

[0080] As seen in Table 7 below, relative to the plain cleansing bar, asubstantially fewer number of strokes was needed to achieve anequivalent level of cleansing when a cleansing bar having discreteelements according to the invention was used. On average, it took 1.6strokes of the cleansing bar of the invention to clean the foundation,whereas 23.6 strokes of the ordinary cleansing bar was needed. Thisdifference, as demonstrated by a t-test, was statistically significant(p<0.0001). TABLE 7 Number of Strokes needed to achieve a similar levelof cleansing Invention Ordinary Bar Test Site # Strokes Test Site #Strokes 1A 2 1B 20 2A 1 2B 25 3A 2 3B 23 4A 2 4B 25 5A 1 5B 25 Average1.6 Average 23.6

[0081] Conclusion

[0082] This study demonstrated that a substantially fewer number ofstrokes was needed to achieve an equivalent level of cleansing when acleansing bar containing discrete elements according to the inventionwas used. Therefore, the skin would be less exposed to damagingsurfactants, and thus less likely to suffer from irritation.

[0083] F. Soap Grippability

[0084] Six cleansing bars were prepared from identical molds, havingequivalent size, shape, and weight as described in A above. Added tothree of the bars was 0.7 grams of DuPont C-113 Nylon fibers (6.0denier, 1.5″ long, length to diameter ratio=1,463) (referred to asdiscrete element bars 1-3) whereas no discrete elements were added tothe other three bars (referred to as plain bars 1-3 below).

[0085] A “grippable” soap bar does not slip easily. Therefore, agrippable bar should be more resistant to slipping/sliding down aslanted surface than one that is more slippery (not as grippable).

[0086] A 14-degree slanted surface was created using a lab jack and aflat board. A transparency film was placed on the board to provide acompletely smooth surface. A starting line and a finish line (5.5″apart) were marked on the board. A discrete element bar and a plain barwere wetted thoroughly by hand through circular rubbing motions. The twobars were placed side by side at the starting line. The bars were thenreleased. The process was repeated for discrete element bar 2 and plainbar 2 and discrete element bar 3 and plain bar 3. The time it took eachbar to reach the finish line was recorded.

[0087] Results

[0088] As seen in Table 8 below, the plain cleansing bars always reachedthe finish line before the cleansing bar of the invention. On average,the plain bars slipped down the slanted board in half the time it tookthe cleansing bars having discrete elements (3.0 seconds versus 6.3seconds). The difference was statistically significant (p<0.04). Inother words, the plain cleansing bars tended to be more slippery thanthose made according to the invention. TABLE 8 Time for the CleansingBar to Reach The Finish Line Discrete Elements Plain Bar Bar Time (sec)Bar Time (sec) 1 11 1 7 2 3 2 1 3 5 3 1 Average 6.3 Average 3.0

[0089] Conclusion

[0090] The data from this study indicated that the cleansing bars of theinvention were easier to grip and less likely to slip than plaincleansing bars.

Example 4

[0091] Comparative Example

[0092] Two cleansing bars of equivalent weight (approximately 60 grams)were prepared using 2 identical soap molds as described in Example 3Aabove. The bars were the same except 0.7 grams of Induchem INDUCOS 13/4polyethylene beads with a length to diameter ratio of less than 10 wasadded to one of the bars while the other bar contained no discreteelements.

[0093] Ten panelists were recruited for this study. First, one of thetwo cleansing bar was wetted under water and rubbed 10 times on the handof each panelist in a circular motion. Afterwards, the lather wasscraped off from the hands with a togue depressor and placed on apre-weighed dish. The combined weight of the dish and the lather wasmeasured and recorded. The weight of lather produced was then calculatedby subtracting the weight of the dish from the combined weight of thedish and lather. The same procedure was repeated using the othercleansing bar. The weight of the lather generated by the two cleansingbars was also compared.

[0094] Results

[0095] As seen in Table 2 below, for half of the panelists, thecleansing bar containing polyethylene beads generated more lather thanthe plain cleansing bar. For the other half of the panelists, however,the plain bar generated more lather than the bar with beads. On average,the cleansing bar with beads produced 0.1594 grams of lather while theconventional bar produced 0.1563 grams. The difference between the twobars is not statistically significant based on a paired t-test(p=0.894). TABLE 2 Weight (grams) Panelist Dish Alone Dish + LatherLather Produced Number Plain Beads Plain Beads Plain Beads 1 6.02935.9203 6.1903 6.0343 0.1610 0.1140 2 6.0526 5.9542 6.2892 6.1072 0.23660.1530 3 6.0436 5.9263 6.2299 6.0426 0.1863 0.1163 4 6.0446 6.02126.2506 6.2510 0.2060 0.2298 5 5.9859 5.9809 6.1121 6.1142 0.1262 0.13336 5.9488 5.9736 6.1503 6.2395 0.2015 0.2659 7 6.0158 6.0053 6.06366.1530 0.0478 0.1477 8 6.0020 5.9453 6.2686 6.1667 0.2666 0.2214 95.9266 5.9884 6.0235 6.0508 0.0969 0.0624 10 5.9541 6.0281 5.9885 6.17830.0344 0.1502 AVERAGE 0.1563 0.1594

[0096] Conclusion

[0097] The data from this study indicated that a cleansing bar havingpolyethylene beads (having a length to diameter ratio outside of thelength to diameter ratio of the cleansing bars of the claimed invention)did not consistently generate a richer lather than a plain cleansingbar. In contrast, as shown by Examples 3B and 3C above, cleansing barsaccording to the invention, containing discrete elements having a lengthto diameter ratio of from about 50 to 1 to about 100,000 to 1consistently generated a lather that was richer than that generated byplain cleansing bars.

1-20 (canceled)
 21. A method for improving the characteristics of acleansing bar, said method comprising the step of incorporating discreteelements into said cleansing bar, wherein said discrete elements have alength to diameter ratio of from about 50 to 1 to about 100,000 to 1.22. A method according to claim 21, wherein said characteristics areselected from grippability, lather production, cleansing ability, andexfoliating ability.
 23. A method for cleaning a surface comprising thesteps of (a) wetting the cleansing bar of claim 1 with water; (b)applying agitation to the wet cleansing bar, wherein the amount of waterand agitation are sufficient to create a lather on the cleansing bar,and (c) applying said lathering cleansing bar to the surface to becleaned.
 24. The method according to claim 23, wherein said surface iselected from hair, skin, and mixtures thereof.
 25. The method of claim23, wherein said surface is a hard surface or a fabric.
 26. A method forpreparing a cleansing bar comprising a cleansing composition anddiscrete elements, the method comprising (a) preparing a mixture of thecleansing composition and the discrete elements; (b) applying agitationto the cleansing composition-discrete element mixture sufficient toevenly distribute the discrete elements among the cleansing composition;and (c) extruding the cleansing composition-discrete element mixture ofstep (b) into bar form; wherein said discrete elements having a lengthto diameter ratio of from about 50 to 1 to about 100,000 to
 1. 27. Amethod for preparing a cleansing bar comprising a cleansing compositionand discrete elements, the method comprising (a) heating the cleansingcomposition to a temperature sufficient to melt the cleansingcomposition; (b) mixing discrete elements with the melting cleansingcomposition of step (a); (c) pouring the cleansing composition-discreteelement mixture of step (b) into a mold; and (d) allowing the moldedmixture to cool; wherein said discrete elements having a length todiameter ratio of from about 50 to 1 to about 100,000 to
 1. 28. A methodfor preparing a cleansing bar comprising a cleansing composition anddiscrete elements, the method comprising (a) adding discrete elements toa mold; (b) heating the cleansing composition to a temperaturesufficient to melt the cleansing composition; (c) pouring the cleansingcomposition into said mold containing discrete elements; (d) mixing thecleansing composition-discrete element mixture of step (c); and (d)allowing the molded mixture to cool; wherein said discrete elementshaving a length to diameter ratio of from about 50 to about 100,000 to1.